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(No Model.)

N. F. HURDEL. HAT CASE. NO. 479,643; {in Patented July 26, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELLIE F. I-IURDEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,643, dated July 26,1892.

Application filed December 1891. Serial No. 414,940. (No model.)

T at whom it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, NELLIE F. HURDEL, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and Improved Hat-Case, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in hat-cases,.and especiallytohat-cases which form convenient receptacles in which a quantity of hatsmay be shipped; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple,strong, and convenient hat-case in which a quantity of hats may bepacked, which will carry the hats in such a way that they cannot be injured, and which may be quickly and easily adjusted so as to receive hatsof different sizes or so that it may be adapted for either mens orwomens hat-s.

To this end my invention consists in a hatcase the construction of whichwill be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a broken vertical section of the hat-case on line 1 1 inFig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isan enlarged detail side elevation showing the connection between theinside frame and one of the hat-supporting arms. Fig. 4 is a sectionalplan on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a broken vertical section of amodified means of securing one of the arms in the inside frame. Fig. 6is a sectional plan on the line 6 6 in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a brokenperspective View ofan attachment adapted to be secured to thehat-supporting arms and enable them to carry a mans stiff hat.

The case 10 may be made of any suitable material, and it is composed oftwo similar parts 11 and 12, having flat bottoms, upon which they mayfirmly rest, and oval tops 11 12, so that when closed together the casewill have a nearly half-round top upon which it cannot be convenientlystood, and this will insure its being always placed right side up. Themembers of the case are hinged together, as shown at 13, and they may bealso looked, as shown at 14, any suitable lock or catch being employedfor the purpose.

Within the case is a two-part frame 15,

which extends Vertically through the central portion of the case andfits snugly against the side, bottom, and top walls, the frame servingas a brace for the case and also as a support for the hat-arms 16, whicharms are preferably bent, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to extend downwardfrom the sides of the frame 15, as shown at 17, and thence upward, asshown at 18, to the center of the case, where they terminate in knobs19, having annular grooves extending horizontally around them and havingcushions 21 at the top.

When womens hats are packed in the case, they are placed upon the knobsand are fastened to the cushions by thrusting pins through both the hatsand cushions. The hatsupporting arms are arranged so that an arm whichprojects from one side of the case will overlap, an arm which projectsfrom the other side of the case, and a greater or less number of thearms may be used according as the hats are smaller or larger. The outerends of the arms 16 project into holes in the frame 15, adapted toreceive them, and the 1 arms are provided near their outer ends and onthe sides with notches adapted to receive fastening-bolts 22, whichbolts are mounted transversely in the sides of the frame 15 and havetheir outer ends provided with knobs 23, by means of which the bolts maybe withdrawn from the arms 16 when the latter are to be removed. Thebolts are held to move in recesses 24, and in each recess is a spiralspring 25, which encircles the bolt and presses upon a collar 26thereon, thus normally holding the bolt in engagement with the arm 16and preventing the accidental removal of the latter.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modified means of supporting andadjusting the arms 16. In this case a hollow frame 15 is used, which isslotted vertically on the inner side, as shown at 27, and which isprovided adjacent to the slot with ratchet-teeth 28, the teeth beingproduced on the inside of the frame. When used with this sort of frame,the arms 16 have their inner ends formed into hollow heads 29, which areadapted to slide within the frame 15, and mounted within each head isaratchet-block 30, which is adapted to engage th e teeth 28 and whichisnormally pressed into engagement therewith by a spring 30, arrangedWithin the head and behind the ratchet-block. A pin 31 extends outwardfrom the ratchet-block through the slot 27 in the frame, and the outerend of the pin terminates in a knob 32, which serves as a handle, and bypressing inward upon the knob the ratchet-block may be thrown out ofengagement with the teeth, so that the arm may be lowered; but the armmay be raised without troubling the knob, and the pressure of the springwill hold the ratchet-block in engagement with the teeth andconsequently hold the arm at any desired height.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an attachment adapted to be applied to the knobs19 When mens hats-such as derbies or silk hats-are to be carried in thecase. This attachment has a band 34, which fits within the groove 20 andmay be fastened there by any suitable means, and projecting fromopposite sides of this band are arms 35,the outer ends of which aredoubled under to form hooks 36, which hooks are adapted to receive therim of a hat and permit the crown to hang down. These arms are braced bya circular brace 37, to which the arms are fastened by doubling themaround it, as shown at 38, although they may be secured in any otherconvenient manner.

When hats are to be packed within the case, the arms 16 are adjusted inthe manner described, so as to be the right distance apart, and the hatsare suspended. upon them either by pinning them to the cushions, asdescribed, or by hanging them upon the hooks, if they are mens hats, andthe case may then be closed and locked and will afford a safe andconvenient receptacle for carrying the hats about.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A hat-case comprising two similar partshinged together, a vertical frame arranged within the case and extendingaround the Walls thereof, and a series of vertically-adjustablehat-supporting arms arranged one above the other and terminating attheir inner ends in hat-hangers, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a hat-case, the combination, with the grooved knobs supported onarms, as described, of horizontally-extending hat-hooks having theirinner ends terminating in aband adapted to be secured in the grooves ofthe knobs, substantially as described.

3. A hat-case provided with an internal frame and a series ofvertically-sliding arms mounted adjustably on said frame and provided attheir free ends with cushions to which the hats may be pinned,substantially as set forth.

4. A vertically-divided hat-case provided on its inner side with agrooved supportingframe and a series of vertically-adjustable armshaving a pawl'and-ratchet connection at one end with said grooved frame,substantially as set forth.

NELLIE F. HURDEL. Witnesses:

WARREN B. I-IUToHINsoN, C. SEDGVVICK.

